Doctors are being forced in droves to reuse PPE intended to be deployed just once owing to a "desperate" shortage. A poll by the Royal College of Physicians found that a quarter of doctors are having to re-use protective kit meant to be worn just once.
Meanwhile, a BBC Panorama investigation has found that key items of PPE were not included in the government's pandemic stockpile.
Gowns, visors, swabs and body bags were left out of the stockpile when it was set up in 2009. Some of the items are now in short supply.
A Government spokesman told the programme that the expert committee that advises ministers on new and emerging respiratory virus threats, known as Nervtag, did not recommend stockpiling swabs and body bags.